Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ A Fragile Love ❯ Episode 8: Tidbits in Dinner ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

'Turtle' as a side dish? Hmm, we'll pass, save for one persistent, energetic girl. Luckily, our resident manager saves Tama-chan from eating doom.
What's this about a request from Motoko?

Anime/Manga: Love Hina Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.10.2003 | Updated On: 08.26.2005 | Pages: 12 | Words: 8.5K | Visits: 2.1K | Status: Completed

A Fragile Love

OOOOOOOOOO

Episode 8: Tidbits in Dinner

Legend

Word denotes character thoughts

Word denotes setting, time

-Word- denotes sound effect

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Timeline: June 4, 2000 AD, 8:00 PM

Location: Hinata-Sou

Night fell as it blanketed the sky in fading darkness. A gentle breeze of the wind blew forth fallen and stray leaves.

-SIZZLE- -SIZZLE- -SIZZLE-

An aroma of a cooked meal whiffed from the kitchen. Shinobu hummed happily as she cooked dinner --- beef stew, chicken salad, sushi, tempura, and steamed rice.

Urashima sempai shouldn't be the one to do the cooking all the time. I can do my share too.

She woke up early from a nap and decided to do the cooking instead of Keitaro. She looked up the wall clock in the living room --- it read 8:00 PM.

"Well, I better tell everybody dinner's ready."

She went back to the kitchen and finished cooking dinner. Gathering up the plates and silverware, she set them up on the dining room table and readied dinner after. She headed upstairs, heading to Motoko's room first. She tapped on the slide door.

-TAP- -TAP-

"Yes? Who is it?" Motoko asked. Dressed in her usual training clothes, she was meditating on her futon.

"Motoko-sempai, dinner's ready downstairs," Shinobu greeted the female swordsman as she peered inside after opening the door.

"I see. I shall be there shortly, I'm just meditating," Motoko replied without opening her eyes.

It feels lonely without him. Argh… why can't I focus?

She stopped meditating with a frown on her face. She went to her small drawer and pulled out a small diary. Inside, it contained her feelings about Keitaro just recently. She noted down an entry for today.

OOOOOOOOOO

June 4, 2000

Diary,

It seems that he's always in my thoughts now and then. Oh, what can I do? If I could just tell him how I feel…

But I'm afraid…

I'm afraid to lose him.

OOOOOOOOOO

Shinobu headed towards Suu's room and knocked on her armor-plated door.

-KNOCK- -KNOCK-

"Huh? Wait a second!" Suu said. Several locks were heard opening from the door. Pressurized smoke emitted as the door opened. Suu stepped out and greeted Shinobu with a smile.

"-Sniff- -Sniff- Mmm, it smells good!"

"Dinner's ready."

"Goodie!" Suu went back inside and closed the door after her.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Hmm… Mutsumi-san is next," Shinobu remembered, heading to Mutsumi's room and tapped on her slide door.

-TAP- -TAP-

"Ara, Ara… I'm coming," Mutsumi replied with her usual cheery tone, opening her slide door.

“Mutsumi-san, I've made dinner. Please come down if you're ready,” Shinobu greeted.

"Ok, I'll be there in a second," Mutsumi waved Shinobu goodbye and closed her slide door. She hummed a pleasant tone as she finished checking herself on a mirror.

OOOOOOOOOO

Shinobu thought, now that I think about it, maybe he didn't want to overwork with the chores and cooking. Hmm… well, I guess there's no use thinking about it. I don't want to make a fuss.

"Who else… Mitsune-sempai? On second thought, maybe she was into her drinking sessions last night. I should leave her be. The last people now are Naru-sempai and Urashima-sempai."

She proceeded to Keitaro's room and knocked on his door.

-KNOCK- -KNOCK-

"Urashima-sempai?"

OOOOOOOOOO

Inside his room, Keitaro groggily opened his eyes.

"-Yawn- I feel worn out… huh?" he saw his clothes lying on the floor.

That's odd… why are my clothes there?

He removed his blanket and realized he was naked.

Yikes! Wait a second… what's this smell from my bed? Hmm, it has a feminine scent on it.

Did I actually sleep with someone?

Oh wait, now I remember… Mitsune.

I actually made love to her… and it was her first time!

He saw a small blood stain on his bed as a reminder of their previous activity.

"I'm going to get this bed sheet clean ASAP, lest the rest of the girls will find out and kill me," he said to himself, slapping his forehead with disappointment.

Someone knocked on his door.

"Yes?"

"Urashima-sempai? It's Shinobu. I made dinner. Did I disturb you?"

"N-No, I'm just getting up now from a nap. I'll get dressed and be downstairs for dinner.”

"Ok, sempai."

Keitaro heard Shinobu's footsteps fading quietly, heading downstairs.

"I'll worry about this later. Right now I better get dressed and join the girls for dinner."

He stood up and gathered his clothes, dressing himself. He removed the bed sheet and dumped it in a small plastic basket for laundry. Walking up to a mirror, he took a comb and checked himself, making sure no traces of his lovemaking with the fox lady were shown.

"Hmm… I guess I look fine."

Keitaro picked up the basket and walked quietly to the bathroom. Before stepping inside, he looked around.

All clear. Now I should just put this inside the washing machine.

He placed his bed sheet inside the washing machine and set the timer to 30 minutes wash setting. Scooping a cup of laundry soap, he poured it on his bed sheet. Then he filled the inside up with a medium amount of water. He closed it and washed his hands.

-CRICK-

The washing machine roared to life and began its work.

From the sink, Keitaro splashed water to his face and wiped himself off with a small towel hanged nearby.

"Whew… I better check on Mitsune and see how she is after what we've done."

He felt his cheeks warming up in slight embarrassment at the remark. He shrugged thoughts off his mind and headed downstairs for dinner.

OOOOOOOOOO

-TAP- -TAP-

"Naru-sempai, are you there?" Shinobu checked as she tapped on Naru's slide door.

"Yes? Is that you, Shinobu?" Naru inquired inside. Currently she was writing her homework, doing an exercise in algebraic expressions.

"Yes, sempai; um, I just came to tell you dinner's ready, that's all!"

"Oh, ok. Do you want to come in?"

"Oh no, that's fine. Well, I have to go now."

Shinobu headed downstairs for the dinner table and took her seat, waiting for the others.

"Ah… well, I'll take a break now from this Math homework I'm doing. Maybe I should ask Keitaro later to help me here with a problem or two," Naru said, placing down her pencil after doing some problems on algebraic expressions.

Yeah… we could spend some time together here in my room…

What am I thinking? I still think of him as a pervert…

Or is it that I'm denying myself that I have feelings for that idiot? Argh!

“Take things slow and easy, one at a time," Naru said to herself, calming down mentally.

-GRUMBLE-

Her stomach mumbled, bringing her attention. She looked down on it and smirked.

"Ok, ok, I'll get a bite to eat already, no need to complain," she headed downstairs for the dinner table.

OOOOOOOOOO

Meanwhile, in the fox lady's room…

Seated on her futon, Mitsune drew her legs close to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She was dressed in a purple shirt and denim shorts.

Keitaro… I hope that you didn't take what we did today as a mistake.

She looked at a small-framed picture of the Hinata-Sou girls and their dorm manager on her dresser. A bottle of sake lay on a small table nearby.

"I think your goody good side rubbed off on me. It's weird that I didn't open this bottle of sake I was supposed to drink. Just thinking about you makes me feel… sober."

Is this my true feeling for Keitaro?

I used to think men sought me out only for sex.

I decided not to let a man enter in my life since then… until now.

Oh Keitaro… I couldn't believe how much of a person you are --- caring for others, putting their priorities before yours. I've been so slow to realize how much you mean to me!

Sigh… now the others are probably going to feel what I have after spending some time with you.

"Doesn't this just beat all," she said to herself.

But then again, it'd be bad if I'd knock some of the competition off.

I guess it'll be up to him… I better also tell him that I didn't mean to leave him after we had sex. I just don't want the others to find out; they'll think that he took advantage of me… huh?

The aroma of dinner whiffed through a small opening of Mitsune's door.

"-Sniff- -Sniff- It smells like dinner. I better keep this bottle of sake."

She opened a small hatch on the floor, revealing a chiller holding her secret stash of sake and placed the bottle inside. Closing the hatch, she headed down for the dinner table.

"Ouch… I can't believe he's terrific in bed," she slyly said to herself, still reeling from her first time with Keitaro. She bent her hips a little and walked slowly out of her room.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Hey you guys, you don't want to leave me out for this deliciously cooked dinner I'm seeing here?" Mitsune greeted the others, who were seated, with a wave of her hand.

"Nice of you to drop by on time for a change, Mitsune," Motoko said with a raised eyebrow.

"Mitsune-sempai, we were just starting dinner. Please take your seat," Shinobu exclaimed. Mitsune seated herself next to Motoko.

"Allow me to start a prayer for this cooked dinner," Keitaro said as he stood up from his seat. The girls looked at him quizzically.

His hands clasped together in prayer, he started.

"Kami, we're here to pray to you thanks for this dinner we're partaking in our daily lives. I'm thankful that all of us will be enjoying this together with peace and happiness. Thank you very much. Amen."

He made the sign of the cross and sat on his seat.

Naru piped up.

"Keitaro, um, why did you start a prayer for dinner? And what was that you did just now?"

"That was the sign of the cross, my belief in Jesus Christ. I'm half-Christian, Roman Catholic. I… enlightened myself in another religion during my stay in America. And, I sort of picked a habit of offering a prayer of thanks to God at a meal. Does that answer your question?"

"Oh," the girls said in unison.

Motoko: So Urashima's a devout Christian? That has become unlikely of him. It seems he has some values and beliefs that reflect his morals… it sounds fitting of an honorable man.

Mutsumi: Ara, Ara… Kei-kun has a second religion? Oh my!

Shinobu: Sempai, a Christian? Mou… so he believes in another god? I didn't know that!

Suu: What's a 'Christian'? Is it something good to eat?

Mitsune: Wow, I didn't expect that.

Naru: Kei-kun…

Keitaro saw them speechless. He snapped his fingers to get their attention.

-SNAP- -SNAP-

"It's no such fuss to ponder about. I think we should focus our attention to this wonderfully cooked meal, courtesy of Shinobu here," he winked at his admirer and smiled.

Shinobu blushed as she smiled happily back.

Sempai smiled at me! I hope he likes my cooking!

"Ah, I'm starved. Let's eat!" Mitsune exclaimed.

"Indeed. Shinobu, can you pass the rice to me please?" Motoko asked, starting dinner.

"Sure, Motoko-sempai. Here," Shinobu handed her a large bowl of steamed rice.

"Hey, Keitaro, can you pass the ketchup?" Suu asked. Out of nowhere, she brought out a covered dish and set it next to her plate. It looked fairly large.

"Ok, but Suu, what's that dish you have there?" Keitaro asked, handing her the ketchup. A small tapping sound came from within the dish.

Hmm… maybe it's a strange dish from her home country… speaking of which, I should remember to ask her where it is in the world.

"Thanks, Keitaro! Ah, just what I've been waiting for!" Suu wrapped a cravat around her neck and removed the cover. Steam emitted out as it revealed the mysterious dish.

"Miyu!" a squeaky voice said.

"Huh? What's that sound?" Naru asked.

"It sounds familiar," Keitaro said. His eyes bugged out at the dish as he saw what it was --- a turtle was tied around with a small plastic rope, as a circle of chopped vegetables were around it.

"TAMA-CHAN!" everybody (except Suu who had a fork and knife in hand and lapped her tongue out like a hungry wolf) exclaimed.

"Ara, Ara… I wonder how Tama-chan ended up like that?" Mutsumi wondered with her hand on her mouth.

"T-T-TURTLE! EEK! BE GONE FOUL THING!" Motoko shrieked with fright, her 'turtle phobia' evident. She pulled out her sword from its sheath (she occasionally brings her sword wherever she goes) and raised it overhead, preparing to deliver a blow to the poor, helpless creature.

"Motoko-sempai, wait!" Shinobu exclaimed, about to stop her.

"TURTLE SLI… what?" the female swordsman was surprised as she felt a gentle grip on her arms. She looked to see Keitaro who quickly stopped her.

"Urashima?"

"No, Motoko, don't be afraid, she won't bite! And Suu," Keitaro turned to the energetic and hungry girl who was about to plunge her fork and knife on the turtle, "I don't recommend turtle for dinner."

He quickly grabbed Tama-chan, freeing the hot springs turtle.

"Miyu!" it beamed, relieved to be free from being eaten. She flew onto Keitaro's shoulder and settled there.

"Ah, there goes my turtle meal," Suu said, disappointed.

"Nice try, Suu, but next time don't try to make your eating plans of Tama-chan so obvious," Keitaro, rolling his eyes over. He declined to ask her of her eating attempts on turtles for that matter.

"Miyu!" Tama-chan said, raising her flippers and leaned close to the manager's ear.

"Huh? What's that you say, Tama-chan?"

"Miyu!"

"Don't worry about it, ok? I'll make sure she won't eat you."

"Miyu!"

"Why don't you sit on Mutsumi's shoulder instead? My shoulder kind of feels stiff."

"Miyu!"

"Good girl."

Keitaro patted the turtle on the head before it flew off and sat on Mutsumi's shoulder. The girls gave him confused looks.

"Kei-kun? You can also understand what Tama-chan is saying?" Mutsumi asked him. It came as another small surprise that the manager could understand turtle language like her and Suu.

"Well, yes. After all, I've been around her for a long time since my first days as manager here, so it's not surprising to me that I could understand what she was saying."

"Oh, I see."

"Well, now that that's out of the way, let's eat!" Mitsune exclaimed.

"Yes, let's not waste good food now. Urashima, I'm sorry for my actions just now," Motoko apologized, bowing to Keitaro.

"It's ok, Motoko, I understand your fear of turtles, though I won't ask how that came to be to you," he calmed her down, laying his hand on her shoulder. She felt a small blush on her cheeks upon his touch.

“T-Thank you, Urashima. I'm ok now," she assured, taking her seat. Keitaro withdrew his hand.

I guess life's normal here in Hinata-Sou. Hmm… did Motoko just blush now? That's unusual of her.

Mitsune, Naru, and Shinobu watched Motoko with a pang of jealousy.

Interesting… he made her blush; this is slowly getting serious.

Why didn't Motoko whack him like she usually does? Something's not right… is Keitaro hitting on her?

Auuu… Urashima-sempai!

With no other commotion occurring, dinner continued on.

OOOOOOOOOO

An hour later…

"I better wash the dishes now… hey, Keitaro! Why are you doing that job?" Naru asked. She was planning to do the dishes for tonight as she walked in the kitchen, but only to find the manager already finishing up one last dirty dish.

That's quick! And they look sparkling clean! How does he do that?

She looked with awe at the clean dishes drying in the dish drainer.

"I'm already finished with this dish here," Keitaro said, rinsing dishwashing soap off the last dish. He wiped it with a rag and placed it in the dish drainer. He wiped his hands with a small rag attached to the handle of the refrigerator.

"Naru-sempai? I'll go help you with the dishes… auuu! Urashima-sempai?" Shinobu stammered as she walked in to help Naru cleaning the dishes.

Keitaro smiled.

"I guess there's no need for you girls to be doing the dishes for tonight. Well, go off and do your stuff now."

"Keitaro, must you always do all the chores here? Why don't you let us handle them?" Naru asked.

"Yes, I agree with her, Urashima-sempai. Don't overwork yourself!" Shinobu joined in.

"Girls, it's my job as the manager to make sure this building gets up and running, problem-free daily. I hardly can say that it's tiring for me," Keitaro protested.

"What's going on here?" Suu's voice inquired. Motoko, Mitsune, Mutsumi, and she stepped inside. Tama-chan flew onwards and settled herself on top of Mutsumi's head.

"Hey, we were just talking how Keitaro should take a break from the chores, despite being the manager," Naru briefed them.

"Is that so, Urashima? From the looks of this dorm, I say it's running in good shape all thanks to your efforts. But, you should learn to not always be concerned on your managerial duties. Besides, we're the tenants, and it's our job to contribute our share of chores as a way of helping you maintain this dorm," Motoko spoke.

"Motoko's right, Keitaro. Come on, it's good that you should put your feet up and relax! You shouldn't have a worry of this world," Mitsune supported the female swordsman's convincing.

"Hey Keitaro, that should give you time to play with each of us! Please… oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please!" Suu pleaded with a puppy-face look.

"Ara, Ara… I agree with them, Urashima-kun," Mutsumi chimed in.

Keitaro looked at each of them. He was already formulating another protest in his mind.

Man, why are they so hyped up on seeing me doing my job? Ah, it'd be pointless to argue any further.

He sighed in defeat.

"Alright; for your sake, I'll let you girls do the chores from now on. I'll just oversee the finances and important stuff like the rent here in this dorm. Is that ok with you all?"

They nodded in agreement.

"Whew… well, don't you each have something to do now?"

"Oh I remember I have to finish my Math homework!" Naru exclaimed, as she made a dash to her room upstairs.

"Same here," Suu said, chuckling with anticipation and glee deep inside.

A few more modifications left!

She returned to her room.

"I've got to get ready for my classes tomorrow. Don't forget, Urashima-sempai, what you said!" Shinobu warned, disappearing as well.

"I'll go and nurture my sake in my room," Mitsune said. Before following Shinobu, she walked up to Keitaro and whispered in his ear.

"Thanks for tonight, stud. I'm sorry I left, but I figured anyone would walk in to your room and see me with you in bed --- well, you get the picture. Come see me if you have time okay?"

Keitaro felt a little awkward and flushed at her words.

"Don't worry, Mitsune. I'll be sure to pay you a visit if I have the chance," he assured her with a casual grin.

The fox lady couldn't help but feel happy and mischievous inside as she heard those words. She then left.

"Ara, Ara… I'll go to sleep now," Mutsumi said, yawning to show her drowsiness. She went upstairs to her room.

Motoko was left fidgeting with her hands as she looked down the floor, finding something to say.

"I… Urashima… I was wondering…"

Come on, it's your chance, her inner self rooted for her to go on.

"Yes? What is it?" the manager asked, uncertain.

"… Train with me?"

"Huh?"

Motoko widen her eyes in shock at what she said.

WHAT! Oh no! It should be 'a drink of tea with me in my room'!

"I'm sorry, Motoko-chan, but did you say a `train with you'?" Keitaro decoded her message.

"Er… yes, another sword training with me, if it's possible? To be honest, I found our training before… enjoyable," her eyes looked down the floor again.

What's wrong with me? Why can't I tell him how I feel about him? I can barely speak directly… argh!

She felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Motoko, I love to, if it makes you glad. Same place?"

"Um… how about somewhere else? Would that be fine with you?"

She looked up to find his eyes gazing into hers. She was transfixed, no… drawn into his attention; she wanted to have his arms pull her toward him in bliss.

Keitaro waved at her face.

"Motoko, it's fine by me. When?"

The female swordsman snapped out of her reverie.

"What about tomorrow, after my kendo class? We'll meet at the park."

"Sure. I hope I don't get rough on you this time… I injured you greatly before. I'm sorry," he spoke, concerned.

"It's nothing to worry about, Urashima. It couldn't be helped when it comes to fighting."

He's concerned about me since that time… oh Urashima.

"Well… I'll see you then. Good night, Urashima," she politely bowed and headed for her room. Keitaro was left wondering to himself.

Hmm, I wasn't expecting that. I feared I'd inflict a lot of damage to her back then. I shouldn't have overdone it… now she's getting suspicious of my fighting abilities.

He remembered the day with Naru a few days ago, having a drink with her in Matsui's Express and Kentaro harassing her. He chuckled at the memory of knocking his lights out in that alley after.

He sure had that coming.

"-Sigh- I'll get to my room now."

Keitaro switched off the lights in the ground floor, then went upstairs to his room and changed into his sleeping attire.

He opened his balcony door and lay back against the wall, watching the moon glowering above the blanketed night.